Give us your views on significant changes to the initial education and training standards for pharmacists

We are consulting on significant changes to the initial education and training of pharmacists.

Find out about our proposals..

• having one set of standards and learning outcomes that cover the full period of education and training before initial registration as a pharmacist, with closer integration between academic study and practical experience
• strengthening experiential learning and inter-professional learning
• revising the learning outcomes so that they are more focused on developing clinical skills and communication skills, while still retaining the critical importance of science
• setting an expectation that schools of pharmacy, employers and commissioners will work together to develop proposals for integrating the 52 weeks of learning in practice within accredited programmes
• requiring a more rigorous and structured approach to learning in practice (currently known as pre-registration training) with more regular and documented progress meetings
• strengthening requirements in relation to selection and admission, including a requirement for course providers to assess the values of prospective students in addition to their academic qualifications through interactive activities such as multiple mini interviews or group work
• Strengthening requirements in relation to equality, diversity and inclusion, including by requiring course providers to conduct an annual review of student performance and admissions by the protected characteristics as defined by the Equality Act 2010

The consultation will be open until 3 April 2019. If you or your organisation want to give your views on the education of pharmacists of the future, please read our consultation document. And then respond to our consultation through the online survey.